Chapter 12: Accomplices

“It’s over… everything is over…”

After Bai Jinxi and the others left, Mother Li seemed to lose all her strength. She sat down on the ground, muttering to herself.

“Mother Li, you have to take responsibility for disrespecting Bai Jinxi.” Tiandong said to Mother Li.

Hearing this, Mother Li suddenly looked up and glared at her fiercely. She roared like a madman.

“It was Madam Yun who told me to manage the kitchen, so I helped her! I have a son to support. If I’m kicked out, we’ll both starve! If Madam doesn’t help me, I’ll expose everything to Miss! We’ll die together! No one will be happy!”

“Oh! Mother Li, don’t be anxious. It’s just a child’s nonsense. It won’t come to that.” As she spoke, she reached out to pull Mother Li up from the ground, signaling her to hurry to the kitchen.

“Besides, you heard it yourself. Madam will be managing the mansion from now on. Even if you’re really kicked out, after a few days, when Bai Jinxi forgets about this, you can come back.” She continued to persuade her.

Mother Li pushed her hand away and still glared at her angrily.

“So, the most important thing now is to cooperate with Madam and play this act well!”

Tiandong first tried to persuade her with gentle words, analyzing the pros and cons for Mother Li. Then, she continued, with a hint of threat,

“If you dare to slander Madam and cause her to lose the steward’s position, then you really won’t be able to come back. Don’t think that Madam’s money is so easy to get. I’m telling you; you can only rely on Madam now.”

Mother Li’s face turned red and white, as if she finally understood. She slumped down and crawled up from the ground, giving Tiandong a flattering smile.

“This… alas… there’s nothing else to do. I hope Madam won’t forget this servant. This servant will be waiting to serve Madam like a dog.”

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“Where’s Mother Li? Call her out!”

As they approached the kitchen, Bai Jinxi gestured for Zhang Ze to shout loudly, attracting the attention of the surrounding servants. They didn’t know what was happening.

“That shrew dared to bully the mistress! Now that Madam Yun is managing the mansion for Miss, Madam Yun said that anyone who disrespects Miss must be punished severely!”

Yun Moyi, who was following behind, choked on her breath!

This little brat’s people, one by one, are so good at taking the initiative. Now that Zhang Ze is shouting like this, the servants in the mansion will probably think that the little brat is above her.

Especially those in the kitchen…

Earlier, she had given Mother Li five taels of silver to win her over and promoted her to the position of kitchen manager.

At the time, to win over more people, she had allowed her to show off in front of them.

Yun Moyi’s gaze swept across them. Sure enough, the few who were close to Mother Li had flickering eyes, not daring to meet her gaze. She was instantly annoyed.

It would probably be difficult to win over people in the future…

“Miss, Madam, what’s going on?” Mother Li, with sweat on her forehead and panting heavily, walked over, pretending not to know what was happening.

“Mother Li, Aunt Yun said that it’s wrong for you to disrespect and bully me. You’re being punished. Pack your things and leave the Bai Mansion now!”

Bai Jinxi, seeing Mother Li walk over, immediately hid behind Yun Moyi, then softly accused her.

Mother Li’s eyes widened. Bai Jinxi’s cautious appearance was completely different from the unreasonable shouting and demanding that she be kicked out in Xilinyuan…

She didn’t forget Tiandong’s instructions to take responsibility for everything. But she still wasn’t convinced and wanted to defend herself. “This servant has worked diligently in the mansion for twenty-six years and has always been loyal to the Bai Mansion. How could I disrespect and bully Miss?”

Then, she repeated the same excuse she had given before in front of everyone. Similarly, she asked those maids to testify for her.

“Mother Li, are you sure you didn’t deliberately disrespect me?” Bai Jinxi stared at her, a subtle smile on her lips.

“Of course, it’s really that the firewood in the stove is limited and can’t be wasted. Miss, this servant is doing it for the sake of the Bai Mansion!” Seeing that Bai Jinxi was showing signs of softening, Mother Li quickly swore to heaven, claiming that she had no choice but to do this.

“Alright, since that’s the case, Mother Li, do you admit or deny stealing from the master’s property?!” Bai Jinxi’s smile disappeared, and she sternly questioned her.

“This servant denies it. This theft… where did that come from?!” When she was in Xilinyuan, she had heard Bai Jinxi’s analysis of her theft. It was all her guesswork, so Mother Li confidently retorted.

At the same time, she pulled the maids over. “We’re always together, we can all testify for each other, right?!”

“Yes, yes! That’s right!”

“Mother Li has never stolen anything. This servant can testify!”

The maids spoke one after another.

“You’re testifying for her? If you’re giving false testimony, then you are accomplices!” Bai Jinxi looked exasperated, as if she was angry that things were getting out of control.

The maids looked at each other, then slowly nodded, indicating that they could all testify.

Pfft, Bai Jinxi suddenly laughed.

The few people were dumbfounded, not knowing what had happened. They looked at each other in bewilderment.

“Aunt Yun, since they’ve admitted to being accomplices, you should kick these troublesome servants out of the mansion!” Bai Jinxi turned to Yun Moyi triumphantly, grinning from ear to ear, looking like she was eager for praise.

Seeing the situation take a sharp turn, Yun Moyi was a little caught off guard. What’s going on?

“Sister Xi, even though you’re the mistress of the mansion, you can’t just slander servants like this!”

Yun Moyi put on a surprised expression and lectured Bai Jinxi. But her words had a hint of provocation.

Bai Jinxi, in a timely manner, showed a heartbroken expression. Her smiling face instantly drooped.

“Aunt Yun, Xier didn’t slander them. Don’t believe me? I’ll prove it to you!”

She winked at Banxia and Zhang Ze. The two stepped forward and held Mother Li down. Mother Li immediately let out a pig-like scream. “Ah! They’re beating me! Miss can’t bully people like this!”

“Shut up!” Banxia shouted. Then, she reached into Mother Li’s short jacket.

Mother Li seemed to have realized something and started struggling wildly.

“Madam, please look!” Banxia pulled a delicate silver ingot from Mother Li’s body.

“This is this servant’s own silver!” Mother Li quickly shouted.

“Oh? How much is Mother Li’s monthly salary? I remember it should be one tael. Where did you get this five-tael silver ingot?”

“This… this…” Mother Li was sweating profusely, not knowing how to answer.

She scanned the crowd and saw Tiandong shaking her head slightly. She remembered their previous agreement and lowered her head dejectedly, saying nothing.

Her silence didn’t matter. Those maids who had testified for her weren’t happy!

“Bah! Aunt Li, you took the money and didn’t tell us. Aren’t you harming us?!”

“Exactly! Miss, we really didn’t know she took the money. Otherwise, how could we testify for her?!”

One maid looked at Yun Moyi and was about to speak, but under Yun Moyi’s glare, she shrunk her neck and didn’t dare to say anything…